* FYI, this stuff is old. The current TRMW is here.
So remember what I said about Deerhunter reminding me of Swell Maps? Well, in one of those totally random coincidences that only happen on the interweb, here’s Deerhunter jamming out “Let’s Build a Car” (by the Swell Maps) with Nikki Sudden (of the Swell Maps) on vocals. *THE SOUND OF MY HEAD EXPLODING*
Also, RIP Nikki Sudden. Respect.
Woah. Homeslice Brian Foote just tipped me off to this band called Deerhunter that I know nothing about. I’m listening to the first song on their myspace page right now and it’s making me excited and a little tingly. Scuzzy sloppy rock with cosmic underpinnings, similar to the amazing Swell Maps in that way. Speaking of whom, if you only buy one half of an album in your life make it the first half of Trip to Marineville. Holy sweet crap that is sublime music. And speaking of the holy and sublime, if you only see one band in your life make it the Animal Collective. I saw them last weekend and experienced one the most intense emotional reactions I’ve ever received from music. It deserves it’s own post.
Also: If you eat only one bucket of ice cream in your life make it Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie. For it is the nectar of the gods.
Next up: unreleased Chevron jamz.
At this moment I am sitting in my basement office at Berbati’s Pan, listening to Vetiver, and doing everything in my power not to work. Like typing this.
Yesterday, Yancey Strickler, music journo and editor at eMusic, posed (roughly) this question in his blog: “What is it that makes timeless songs timeless?” This is a big question, and I’m not ready to take it on (remember, I’m writing out of laziness) but I do have an anecdote, and a digression:
Yesterday, the same day I read that question on Yancey’s blog, I did some intensive headphone meditation on the second Swell Maps album, A Trip to Marineville, which has just been rereleased by Secretly Canadian. Quoting my own comments, from other people’s blogs, in my blog feels like the ultimate in meta-onanity. But again, LAZY. My comment:
“Midway through there is this medley consisting of three seamless tracks, the last being an epic reprise of the first. The tracks are Full Moon in My Pocket -> BLAM!! -> Full Moon in My Pocket (Reprise). I can’t put this feeling into sentences (although I guess I’ll have to try for the final review). So I made a chart (a map?). Here it is:
It’s something to do with willful absurdity and joy in the face of existential dread, boredom, and heartbreak. Midway through Full Moon, Jowe Head (the singer) sneezes and extends the sneeze into a long drawn out, almost sung tone. Then he starts babbling gibberish like a crazy man. This is divine playfulness.” – Matt Wright, Yesterday, Nowhere
That last link is a reference to “In Defiance of Gravity” a wonderful essay by Tom Robbins which appeared in Harper’s a couple months back (sadly the only thing I could find online was that excerpt). Basically, Robbins in proclaiming the merits of ridiculous behavior during tough times. This is a concept that I just love. I think this is my mantra. This is why, on Hollywood Boulevard two weeks ago, the stars I seek out are these:
1. Kermit the Frog
2. The BeeGees
3. Olivia Newton-John
This is why I love bands like the Beatles, the Kinks, B-52s, Devo, XTC, Beefheart, Zappa, Os Mutantes, T.Rex, the Pixies, Ween, Beck, Deerhoof, Brainiac, and Juicy Panic.
This is why, this Saturday, I will be DJing with my friend Steve, under the name CUM LAZER!!!, dressed up like a giant pink whoopie cushion (fig. 1).
figure 1
